Board-to-board connectors are used to electrically connect a pair of parallel circuit boards. These board-to-board connectors are mounted on the surfaces of the pair of circuit boards facing each other, and then mated to establish an electrical connection. Reinforcing metal fittings have been proposed which are mounted on both ends to function as locking members for keeping the two connectors mated (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
In FIG. 11B, 851 is the first reinforcing metal fitting attached to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the housing of the first connector mounted on a first circuit board (not shown). In FIG. 11A, 951 is the second reinforcing metal fitting attached to both ends in the longitudinal direction of the housing of the second connector mounted on a second circuit board (not shown).
The first reinforcing metal fitting 851 is a component integrally formed by stamping and bending a metal sheet, and includes a panel-shaped main body portion 852 extending in the transverse direction of the first connector, a side engaging piece extending from both ends of the main body portion 852 in the longitudinal direction of the first connector, a first board connecting portion 856a connected to the bottom ends of the side engaging piece 858 and soldered securely to the first circuit board, a second board connecting portion 856b soldered securely to the first circuit board connected to the bottom end of the main body portion 852, and a housing engaging protruding portion 854 formed on the leading end of each side engaging piece 858.
The second reinforcing metal fitting 951 is a component integrally formed by stamping and bending a metal sheet, and includes a panel-shaped main body portion 952 extending in the transverse direction of the second connector, a side engaging piece 958 extending outward in the transverse direction of the second connector from both the left and right ends of the main body portion 952, a side engaging protruding portion 958a formed on the leading end of each side engaging piece 958, a board connecting portion 956 soldered securely to the second circuit board connected to the bottom end of the main body portion 952 (the upper end from the perspective of the drawing), and housing engaging protruding portions 952a formed on a surface of the main body portion 952.
When the first connector and the second connector are mated, the side engaging protruding portions 858a of the first reinforcing metal fitting 851 and the side engaging protruding portions 958a of the second reinforcing metal fitting 951 engage each other to lock the first connector and the second connector and keep them mated.
Patent Document 1: Laid-Open Patent Publication No. 2009-277365